Tent-pole



(No Model.)

D. JANNOPGULO.

v TENT POLE. N0. v359.157. Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

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DEMETRIUS JANNOPOULO, )F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TENT-POLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,157, dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed January '7, 1887. Serial No. 223,683.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEMETRIUS JANNO- room, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tent'Ioles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure I is a perspective view of the upper end of a tentpole provided with my improvement. Fig. II is aside view showing the upper end of a tent-pole provided with my improvement, and one end of the top ridge-pole. Fig. III is a vertical section taken on line III Ill, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a vertical section through the cap, and Fig. Vis a vertical section illustrating a modification.

Heretofore it has been customary to secure the pins in the upper ends of the pole by merely making holes in the latter to receive the former, to which there has been found a serious obj eetion-that is, the pin soon becomes loosened in its socket, (the pole being made ofwood) and islost very frequently after the tent has been set up but once or twice, the result being that the tent cannot be again set up when the user is in a locality where a new pin cannot be secured. This loosening of the pins in the pole is due principally to the manner in which the tent is frequently taken downthat is to say, instead of both ends of the tent moving down at the same time one end will move a little in advance of the other, which wrenches the pins in their sockets andsoon loosens them. Another cause is that the continual vibrating of the tent in a storm, and the vibration of one end of the tent being more or less than the other end,causes the loosening of the pins.

It will be understood, as shown in the drawings, that the upper ends of the pins enter sockets in the horizontal ridge-pole of the tent.

The object of my invention is to so secure the pins in the poles that the additional cost will be but slight, andthe pins will be held firmly and securely in the poles.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a tent-pole; 2,a pin in the upper end of the pole:

(No model.)

and 3, the ridge pole or rail which forins the top" of the tent, and which has a socket, 4, at each end to receive a pin, 2, there being one at each end. As stated, these pins have heretofore been secured in the poles by merely being inserted in sockets or holes made in the poles and soon become loosened, as also stated.

It has been common to place a ferrule on the outside of the pole around its upper end; but this has been found to be insuflicient to prevent the loosening of the pin in the socket. Therefore I have designed the following means of preventing this loosening of the pins:

5 represents a cap or ring that fits over the upper end of the pole, and which has points or lugs 6, that are bent or pressed into the sides of the pole after the cap is driven on, these points preventing the cap from slipping off should it become loose. The cap is provided with a central neck or tube, 7, the two parts being connected, preferably, by means of a web or plate,8, which may be perforated, as shown, to add lightness to the article.

The neck 7 may be made of any suitable length. I have shown it shorter than the cap 5. It is made hollow, as shown, to receive its pin, which preferably extends a distance beneath it. It is of sufficient length to give a firm metallic bearing to the pin and prevent the loosening of the pin by the action of the tent, as already stated.

I prefer to makethe socket tapering upward, as shown in Fig. IV, so that its upper end will be a little smaller than the diameter of the pin, the reason being that when thepin is driven in it will make its way through the smallest diameter of the neck, and the pin will thus always be held securely in the neck. Vt ere the neck the same diameter as the pin the latter might in some instances fit loosely enough to drop out; but by making the socket of the neck a little smaller at its upper end than the diameter of the pin the pin is sure to always fit tight when driven in. The lower end of the pin is preferably made a little tapering, as shown in Fig. 1H, so that it will start easily in the socket of the neck.

In Fig. Vis shown amodification, where the pin and the neck are formed in one piece.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination with a tent-pole, a cap fitting on the upper end of the pole,having points or lugs bent or pressed into the sides of the latter, and a pin having metallic connection with the cap, substantially as and for the purpose set forth 2. In combination with a tent-pole, a cap fitting on the upper end of the pole, a central neck connected to the cap, and a pin fitting in the neck of the cap and extending thcreth rough into the pole, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In combination with a tentpole, a cap fitting on the upper end of the pole, and provided with points or projections by which it is secured to the pole, a hollow neck secured to the cap, and a pin fitting in the hollow neck and extending therethrough into the pole, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

DEMETRIUS JANNOPOULO.

In presence of- EDw. S. KNIGHT, Jos. WAIILE. 

